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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · race · fan · stand · foot · cabinet · content · prune

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. content — the amount
  4. race — a contest
  5. bulb — for light
  6. race — humankind
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. foot — a measure
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. content — happy
  15. race — the arms race
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. prune — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com